Christopher Beth

Oct 1

9 min read ⭑

“I’m not a polished bio or a ministry title. I’m just a guy trying to follow Jesus the best he can, one small step at a time. A guy who’s learned that obedience often looks like showing up, sitting down, and listening more than talking.”

Christopher Beth’s life changed when he and his daughter took a trip to the Amazon and his eyes were opened to the devastating effects of unsafe water conditions. He founded The Bucket Ministry, a global outreach focused on providing clean water and hope through the message of the gospel. Formerly a businessman, Christoper now spends his time in remote corners of the world sharing clean water and the love of God to people afflicted with disease and darkness.

In this interview, Christopher shares his experiences on the Amazon trip that wrecked him “in the best way.” He talks about how the simple chore of mowing the grass has become a sacred space that helps him reconnect with God. He also confesses his fear of the unknown and shares how God has moved him to a place of surrender that’s become holy ground. Continue reading to hear more of Christopher’s story and his new desire to slow down and “build deeper, not just farther.”

QUESTION #1: ACQUAINT

Food is always about more than food; it’s also about home and people and love. So, how does a go-to meal at your favorite hometown restaurant reveal the true you behind your web bio?

If I’m being honest, my favorite hometown restaurant isn’t a restaurant at all — it’s my own kitchen table, surrounded by my family. I travel so much these days that a simple meal at home feels like five-star dining. It could be tacos, spaghetti or leftovers straight from the fridge — I don’t care. If my people are there, that’s home.

Food, for me, has always been about connection. It’s not just what’s on the plate — it’s who’s across the table. That kitchen has seen answered prayers, hard conversations, belly laughs and more than a few burned dinners. It’s where real life shows up, unfiltered.

That’s a pretty good reflection of who I am. I’m not a polished bio or a ministry title. I’m just a guy trying to follow Jesus the best he can, one small step at a time. A guy who’s learned that obedience often looks like showing up, sitting down and listening more than talking.

So if you want to know the real me, pull up a chair at our kitchen table. It won’t be fancy, but it’ll be real. Probably a little loud. Hopefully full of laughter. And always served with love.

QUESTION #2: REVEAL

What “nonspiritual” activity have you found to be quite spiritual, after all? What quirky proclivity, out-of-the-way interest, or unexpected pursuit refreshes your soul?

Oh, this one’s easy for me. Mowing the grass.

I know that might not sound spiritual to most folks, but for me, it’s sacred space. When I’m out there behind the mower, it’s just me, the Lord, and that steady hum of the engine. No phone calls, no emails, no meetings. Just a strip of grass in front of me and a whole lot of time to think, to pray, to breathe.

It’s funny — mowing isn’t exactly quiet, but that noise becomes like white noise. It drowns out the distractions and somehow helps me tune in. I talk to God out there — sometimes out loud and sometimes just in my head. I lay things down. I wrestle through decisions. I thank him. I ask him what in the world he’s doing with me. And every now and then, I just listen.

There’s something about the simplicity of it. Straight lines. Immediate results. A small task I can actually finish. In a world where so much feels unfinished or out of my control, that’s oddly refreshing.

Mowing the grass is one of those “nonspiritual” things that turns out to be deeply spiritual for me. It’s where I clear the clutter in my heart and reconnect with the One who called me into this work in the first place.

QUESTION #3: CONFESS

Every superhero has a weakness; every human, too. We’re just good at faking it. But who are we kidding? We’re all broken and in this thing together. So, what’s your kryptonite and how do you confront its power?

If I’ve got a kryptonite, it’s the unknown. The stuff I don’t understand. The things I’ve never done or feel unequipped to handle. That space where I feel small and out of my depth — yeah, that’s where the fear creeps in.

I’m not talking about big, dramatic fear. It’s more subtle. It’s the voice that says, “You’re not the guy for this” or “What if you mess this up?” I’ve learned that when I lean into that fear instead of facing it, it gets louder.

So how do I confront it? Quiet time with the Lord. I don’t mean that in a churchy, highlight-reel kind of way. I mean sitting still — Bible open, heart wide — and just being honest with God (even while mowing the grass). Telling him I’m scared. Admitting I don’t know what I’m doing. Asking him to fill in the gaps I can’t.

And he always shows up — not always with answers, but with peace. With reminders that it’s not about how much I know — it’s about who I trust. That I don’t have to be the expert. I just have to be obedient.

So the unknown still shakes me. But these days, I try to see it as holy ground, a place where God does his best work — not in my strength, but in my surrender.

QUESTION #4: FIRE UP

Tell us about your toil. How are you investing your professional time right now? What’s your current obsession? And why should it be ours?

I spend most of my time telling stories about clean water and the living water of Jesus — two things I didn’t think I’d be doing when I was just a guy trying to bring my daughter home from a mission trip to the Amazon. That trip wrecked me in the best way. I saw people drinking out of the same river they used as a toilet, and I couldn’t unsee it. Someone handed me a simple water filter, and next thing I know, I’m back in the jungle telling folks about Jesus through clean water. That became The Bucket Ministry.

These days, I’m investing my time in obedience — showing up where God calls, telling stories that make people laugh, cry or think twice, and reminding folks that you don’t need to be a theologian to make an impact. My current obsession? Multiplication. Not the math kind, but disciple-making. What if every person we gave a filter to also heard the gospel…and then they shared it? That’s the kind of wildfire I want to see.

Why should it be your obsession, too? Because it’s the kind of simple, quiet revolution that actually changes the world. You don’t need a stage. You just need to say “yes” when God nudges. And if he can use a washed-up, untrained, uneducated business guy like me, he can use anybody.

QUESTION #5: BOOST

Whether we’re Cashiers or CEOs, contractors or customer service reps, we all need God’s love flowing into us and back out into the world. How does the Holy Spirit invigorate your work? And how do you know it’s God when it happens?

I spent a lot of years trying to muscle my way through life — white-knuckling decisions, chasing success, calling it “God’s plan” when really it was just my plan with a Jesus sticker on it. That changed in the Amazon. When I saw a woman give her baby dirty river water because it was all she had, I felt something shift. It wasn’t emotion. It was the Holy Spirit saying, “You can do something about this.”

Now, every time I hand someone a bucket filter and tell them about Jesus, I feel that same nudge. It’s not flashy. It’s not lightning bolts. It’s peace, clarity and a strange kind of boldness that isn’t mine. The Holy Spirit shows up in the sweat, in the awkward conversations, in the long travel days when I’m running on fumes and still somehow speaking hope.

I know it’s God when the outcome doesn’t make sense on paper — like when a whole village turns up to hear about clean water and ends up hearing the gospel, too. Or when someone I thought wasn’t listening starts leading Bible studies. That’s not me. That’s the Holy Spirit doing what he does: turning obedience into impact.

So whether I’m sitting in a hut in the jungle or back home sharing stories, I’ve learned to pay attention to the quiet “yes” in my spirit — that little push that says, “Go. Speak. Trust Me.” That’s how I know it’s him.

QUESTION #6: inspire

Scripture and tradition beckon us into the rich and varied habits that open our hearts to the presence of God. So, let us in. Which spiritual practice is working best for you in this season?

Lately, I’ve been drawn back to an old, simple book: “The Practice of the Presence of God” by Brother Lawrence. It’s not flashy or long — just the reflections of a humble cook in a monastery who made it his mission to be with God in every task, whether he was flipping eggs or scrubbing pots. That idea has been working on me.

For a long time, I treated God like a 911 call — only dialing in when things crashed: a medical scare, a crisis on the mission field, the moment when everything’s on fire. But what Brother Lawrence modeled was different. He invited God into the small stuff: the folding of laundry, the stirring of soup, the mundane and unnoticed. That’s where I’ve been trying to live.

Right now, my spiritual practice is simply this: invite God into every part of my day. The email I don’t want to answer. The team meeting. The airport layover. The conversation with someone who’s hard to love. It means I’m not just asking for help, but I’m acknowledging he’s already there.

And what I’ve found is that when I start seeing God in the little moments, I stop waiting for the big spiritual mountaintop to feel close to him. He’s in the slow, ordinary and faithful steps. And that daily presence? That’s changing me more than any mountaintop ever did.

QUESTION #7: FOCUS

Looking backward, considering the full sweep of your unique faith journey and all you encountered along the way, what top three resources stand out to you? What changed reality and changed your heart?

Looking back, there are three things that have shaped my faith more than anything else, and they continue to meet me right where I am.

First is God’s Word. I’ve come to depend on it like daily bread. Not just for knowledge, but for life. There have been seasons where I’ve been dry, discouraged or just plain stubborn, and Scripture still cuts through. It comforts, convicts and redirects me when I start drifting. Some mornings, a single verse will stick in my soul all day like a hand on my shoulder, reminding me who I am and who God is.

Second is quiet time. I don’t mean a perfectly curated devotional setup. I mean the slow, quiet moments where I sit before God with no agenda and a heart that says, “I’m here.” That practice of stillness has become sacred. It’s where I hear God the clearest. It’s where I bring the mess, the questions and the praise. Honestly, it’s where I remember I’m not in charge — he is.

Third is being stretched. This one’s uncomfortable, but necessary. From saying yes to the Amazon, to sharing my faith when I’d rather stay quiet, God keeps pulling me beyond what I think I can handle. And here’s the strange gift in that: it’s where the miracles tend to happen. Stretching leads to growth. Obedience opens doors. Every time I’ve trusted God in the tension, he’s done more than I could’ve planned on my best day.

Each one of these reminds me: God moves when we show up.

Certain things can be godsends, helping us survive, even thrive, in our fast-paced world. Does technology ever help you this way? Has an app ever boosted your spiritual growth? If so, how?

Absolutely. Technology’s been a surprising gift in my walk with God. I used to think spiritual growth had to happen with a leather-bound Bible in one hand and a highlighter in the other. But somewhere between mission trips, early flights, and busy days, I found myself leaning on tech in ways that actually deepened my faith instead of distracting it.

One of the biggest game-changers for me has been the YouVersion Bible App. It’s like having a Bible, a commentary and a spiritual coach in my pocket. I’ll be honest — some mornings, I don’t wake up full of fire and hunger for the Word. But a quick verse notification can snap my attention back to truth. I’ve had moments on the road, in airports and even in the back of a boat in the Amazon where that little screen helped me stay connected to God’s voice.

And then there’s audio Bibles and podcasts. I’ve been known to listen to a commentary or a teaching while stuck in traffic or walking the dog. It’s not about multitasking — it’s about using the small moments to stay rooted. Sometimes a single sentence from a trusted teacher or a well-timed verse will hit me right between the eyes and send me into prayer I didn’t plan.

So technology’s not the enemy. When it’s used with intention, it becomes a tool that turns wasted time into worship and ordinary moments into holy ones.

QUESTION #8: dream

God’s continually stirring new things in each of us. So, give us the scoop! What’s beginning to stir in you but not yet fully awakened? What can we expect from you in the future?

Lately, there’s been a quiet stirring in me — not a loud calling, but more like a gentle invitation: slow down, make room and walk with others. For years, I’ve been going full speed — planes, jungles, filters, stories. And I’ll keep doing that as long as God says go. But something’s shifting.

What’s beginning to awaken in me is this desire to build deeper, not just farther. I’ve spent a lot of time helping lead and go and give, but now I feel the Lord nudging me to invest more in the people beside me — to make space for others to rise up and run their race. To not just hand off water filters, but also hand off leadership, vision and encouragement. That means slowing down a bit, listening more and being okay with not being in the spotlight.

You might see less of me doing and more of me discipling. Less noise, more roots. I want to focus on helping others grow into the calling God has for them — whether that’s in the jungle or their own backyards.

So what can you expect from me in the future? Hopefully, more fruit that I didn’t pick myself, more stories told by others who’ve caught the same vision, and more margin to hear God in the quiet, not just in the chaos.

Christopher confesses he’s felt the invitation to slow down the pace of life and make space for building deeper. He shares some of the spiritual practices that have been most meaningful, including the practice of inviting God into every part of his day — especially the mundane moments. He says, “When I start seeing God in the little moments, I stop waiting for the big spiritual mountaintop to feel close to him.” How can you invite God into the ordinary moments — the chores, the checkout lines, the traffic lights — in new ways this week? What if you begin to expect to encounter him while washing dishes and taking out the trash and walking the dog? Ask him to give you eyes to see evidence of him in the moments you normally rush through, knowing that he is with you in all things, not only on the mountaintop.

Christopher Beth is the founder of The Bucket Ministry, a global outreach that began with a simple water filter and a life-changing trip to the Amazon. A former business guy turned reluctant missionary, Chris now spends his days sharing clean water and the gospel in some of the most remote corners of the world. He’s a storyteller at heart, known for his honest, front-porch style reflections on faith, obedience and how God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. When he’s not traveling, you’ll find him mentoring others, chasing quiet moments with Jesus and reminding anyone who’ll listen that showing up is often the holiest thing you can do.